Malaysia confirms its 8th Zika virus case

Malaysia confirmed its first Zika virus case in September.

An edes aegypti mosquito is seen inside a test tube as part of a research on preventing the spread of the Zika virus and other mosquito-borne diseases at a control and prevention center in Guadalupe, neighbouring Monterrey, Mexico, March 8, 2016.Reuters

Malaysia confirmed its eighth Zika virus case on Sunday after a 67-year-old man, who first showed symptoms in late November, got diagnosed with the virus. However, a statement from the health ministry did not specify if the patient from the state of Selangor contracted the case locally or overseas.

According to the online statement, the man was in Kuala Lumpur from Nov 14 to 28. It further added that he was present in the Selangor city of Shah Alam and in Perak state, north of Selangor.

"His family members were questioned and their blood and urine samples were taken as soon as he (the patient) tested positive for Zika," Health Ministry's director general, Noor Hisham Abdullah told Reuters.

"Active case detection is being conducted in the patient's residential area to detect if neighbouring residents have symptoms of Zika," he added.

In September, Malaysia confirmed its first Zika virus case. A woman was tested positive for the virus following her three-day visit to Singapore, the neighbouring country.

Zika is a mosquito-borne virus that was first identified in Uganda in 1947. It can be passed from a pregnant woman to her unborn baby. The virus can cause birth defects and can also result in microcephaly in which the baby's head is smaller than expected.

The World Health Organisation said people infected with Zika can have symptoms including mild fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise or headache. These symptoms of Zika normally last for two to seven days.